Friday, May 16, 2008

Mr. Speaker, the Canada Elections Act says that all loans for leadership contestants must be repaid within 18 months and failure to do so is a violation of the act.

The Liberal leader is said to have almost a million dollars in outstanding leadership debts, owed to wealthy elites and powerful insiders. If he does not repay these debts by the June 3 deadline, they become illegal donations over the donation limit.

The only escape is if Elections Canada steps in to protect the Liberal leader with preferential treatment and an extension.

Canadians will watch closely. Will the Liberal leader break the law by accepting illegal donations and, if so, will Elections Canada protect the Liberal leader with preferential treatment?

I saw the utterance on the tube and the written word captures neither the petulance nor the faux victimized tone of the performance. I still find it extraordinary that a government member would be attacking a part of the government. That he would do so before that body has ruled on a matter, might be considered "working the refs" at best and an attempted intimidation of a quasi-judicial body by the government, at worst.